Folding table.



A. HUMMEL- FOLDING TABLE. APPLIOATION'PILED snrT. 5,1908.

Patented Ajm20, 1909.

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ALBERT HUMMEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 5, 1908.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Serial No. 451,822.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT HUMMEL, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borou h of Manhattan, in the county and State of ew York, have invented a new and Improved Folding Table, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. My invention relates to folding tables, my more particular purpose being to provide a type of such table, in which there are a number of leaves connected together at all times and adapted to fold and unfold for the purpose of extending or reducing the length or width of the table.

My invention further relates to the provision in a table of the character mentioned of an extensible framework co-acting with an extensible series of folding leaves and so arranged that a definite relation exists between the extension of the series of leaves and the extension of the table frame.

My invention relates still further to certain details of table construction whereby the general efliciency of a table is greatly increased.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my folding table showing it as reduced to its most compact form and thereby rendered suitable for use as a small table; Fig. 2 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 1, but showing the table as it appears while the framework and series of connected leaves are being extended in order to render the table longer; Fig. 3 is an enlarged central section upon the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow and showing a part of the table framework including the telescopic sections; Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the table as fully extended and Fig. 5 is an inverted plan showing the under side of the table fully extended, this view exhibiting the telescopic sections and parts immediately associated therewith.

A leaf 6 having preferably the form of a wide board is connected at its edges to two smaller leaves 7, 8, by aid of hinges 9, 10. The leaves 7, 8 are connected by hinges 11, 12 with two other leaves 13, 14 which are beveled. The leaves 8, 14, upon their adjoining edges, are provided with recesses 15 and the leaves 7, 13 are similarly provided with recesses 16. The recesses 15 are placed in the same vertical plane as the hinges 11 and the hinges 12 are in the same vertical plane as the recesses 16 (see dotted lines in Fig. 5). The purpose of this arrangement is that when the leaves are folded, the hinges 11, 12, although protruding slightly, may not prevent the leaves from fitting neatly together.

Secured rigidly to the leaf 14 is an end piece 17 and two legs 18. Side pieces 19 are also connected with the two legs 18, these side pieces reaching to the opposite edge of the leaf 14 and terminating flush with said edge. Connected with the leaf 13 is an end piece 20, two legs 21 and two side pieces 22. Two telescopic sections 23 are secured by fastenings 24 upon the under side of the leaf 14. These telescopic sections 23 are of suffrcient length to extend a little distance beyond one of the edges of the leaf.

Slidably engaging the telescopic sections 23 are two other telescopic sections 25,-and slidably connected with the latter and with each other are other telescopic sections 26, 27, 28 arranged in pairs, all of the telescopic sections together constituting a continuous interconnected series. The sections 28 are secured by fastening members 29 to the leaf 13. A board 30 connects together the two telescopic sections 26 and mounted upon this board are two legs 31. The various telescopic sections are provided with lugs 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 which serve as limiting stops for preventing excessive travel of one pair of telescopic sections relatively to another pair. For the most part the telescopic sections have each substantially an approximately sinuous form incross section, as will be understood from Fig. 2.

The operation of my device is as follows: Suppose that the table is reduced to its smallest dimensions, as indicated in Fig. 1. It is now serviceable as a small table and as such is complete. In order to extend the table the operator moves its ends apart as indicated in Fig. 2, meanwhile raising the leaf 6. This causes the hinges 11', 12 to move apart and at the same time to straighten out so that the leaf 6 may be forced downwardly, causing the entire top of the tableto become flat, as will be understood from Fig. 4. This movement, to wit, the drawing apart of the ends of the table, also causes the various telescopic sections to move relatively to each other until the limiting stops prevent further relative travel as between the telescopic sections, and when this takes place the table becomes rigid, as will be understood from Fig. 5. The flatten ing out of the various table leaves, as indicated in Fig. 4, stretches the table to its e);- trenie length and places a gentle pressure upon the various limiting stops sh, an in Fig. 5. zi lion this takes place the table has considerable rigidity and strength and may be lifted about after the manner of ant other table of large size. The le are now unable to move relatively to the other portions for the reason that the telescopic sections 26 are prevented from movi g relati'velj, to other telescopic sections, of the pressure of the lugs serving as limiting stops.

LulllS described invention, claim as new and desire to secure by Lettei Patent:

An extension table, comprising end sections each having a leaf fine My secured thereto, sliding connections between the sections, leaves of approximately the same size as the fixed leaves and hinged thereto to fold upon the same, and a leaf hinged to the said hinged leaves, said leaf being approximately of a size equal to the combined size of the Having hinged leaves and adapted to fold upon the same and form tl e table top when the table is reduced to its smallest dimensions.

2. An extension table, comprising end sections each having a leaf fixedly secured thereto, a plurality of telescoping sections connecting the sections, leaves of approximately the same size as the fixed. leaves and hinged thereto to fold upon the same, said leaves having recesses in their adjoining edges to receive the projecting portions of the hinges connecting them, and a leaf hinged to the said hinged leaves, said leaf being ap proximately of a size equal to the combined size of the hinged leaves and adapted to fold upon the same and form the table top when the table is reduced to its smallest dimensions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT HUMMEL.

fi' itnesses: V

HENRY R. DIERKES, IviINNIE NEWMAN. 

